Tire-armor.



A. M. BRUCE.

TIRE ARMOR.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.16, 1911.

99?,646, Patented July 11, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. 11ml,

A. M. BRUCE.

- TIRE ARMOR.

- APPLIUATION FILED FEB.16, 1911.

Patented July 11, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@uvemtoz FUEL ANDREW M.. BRUCE, OF FULTON, MISSOURI.

TIRE-ARMOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 16, 1911. Serial No. 608,887.

To all whom ii may concern:

Be it known that I, Anonnw M.- Bnuon, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fulton, in the county of Callaway and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tire-Armors, ofwhich thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying draw- Ii'l S. V

lhis invention relates to tire armors and has particular relation to anarmor for pneumatic tires of that character commonly used on motorvehicles, the object of the invention residing in the provision of suchan armor which is of simple construction, Will effectually eliminateexternal punctures of the tire and is capable ofquick and easy repair. j

Another object of the invention is to provide a tire armor consisting ofa plurality of plates, and means formed on said plates whereby they maybe interlocked to'provide a complete metallic coveringior casing for thetire, all crevices or openings between the plates being eliminatedwhereby the liability of tacks, glass or other penetrating objectsentering the tire and piercing the inner tube, is obviated. v i

Still-another objectof the invention is to provide side rings or bandsto be arranged upon opposite sides of the tit-e, flat metal platesarranged upon the tread portion of the tire, and means flexiblyconnecting the annular bands with said tread plates.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of thenovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of partshereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan viewof a motor vehicle wheel showlng my im proved armor applied to the tirethereof; Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectiontakenon the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view ofone of the tread plates; Fig. 5 is a similar view of one of the platesfor connecting the tread plates longitudinally of the tire; Fig.

6 is a detail fragmentary perspective view of one of the annular bandsshowing the means for connecting-the ends thereof; and Fig. 7 is asimilar view of one of the side plates for connecting said bandjto thetread plates.

The present invention is devised With a View providing a completemetallic'covering or casing for the tires'of motor ve-' hicle wheels,said casing being of such construction as to secure complete fiexibilityof the armor so that it will readily conform to the transverse contourof the tire whe'nthe same is under compression, whereby danger of injuryto the ti'reor breaking of the armor itself is avdided. With this end inview, I provide the flat rectangular tread plates 5'which areconstructed of steel and are adapted to be arranged upon the treadportion ofthe'out'er. casing of the tire T. Adjacenttd the oppositeedges, longitudinally'of the 'tire, of the tread plate 5, the

same is provided with spaced elongated slots 6 which are adaptedftoreceive 'the spaced flanges or tongues 8 formed on the oppositelongitudinal edges of the connecting member 7. These flan es 8 areadapted to be inserted throught e slots 6 and extended beneath'thetreadplates 5 between the same andthe periphery of the tire casing. The bodyof the connecting member 7 is of concavo-conv'exfform, and the convexsurface of said member extends above the plane of the surfaceof thetread plates 5 thereby preventing direct contact of the tread plateswith the ground and thus practically eliminating all wear upon the same.It will be obvious that the connecting members 7 may be easily andquickly replaced by new ones when they become too far worn for efiectualservice. It will be observed that the' flanges 8 on the edges of themembers 7 are connected to the bodies of said members by theprojections}? which are of substantially the same depth asthe slots 6,whereby when the flanges 8 are inserted through said slots, the slotsare completely closed so that nails, glass or other material which wouldcut through the tire casing cannot enter the same. I Upon each side ofthe tire and adjacent to the rim of the wheel in which the. edges of thetire casing are engaged, the'annular Patented July 11, ran.

I bly connecte cent to the outer edge of the annular band, the same isfurther provided with a plurality of longitudinal slots 13 which arearranged in spaced relation. These slots 12 and 13 are formed byslitting or cutting the metal and bending or depressing the same out ofthe plane of the band. Thus it vlll be obvious that after theconnectionhas been ..made between the ends Qf'the band, the slot 12 is entirelyclosed.

The tread lates 5 are adapted to be flexi-- d to the annular bands 10 bymeans of the side 7 plates '14 are also 0 concavo-convex ,formandengag'e closely upon the peripher of the tire casing. The oppositelon itu inal the are formed in a simi ar manner to the slots :12 and 13,the. edges of the depressed portions 17 of the tread plates engagingupon the periphery of the tire' casing and with the surface of thetongues 15. It will therefore be seen that it is impossible for anyforeign matter to enter through the slots 16 as they are completely andefi'ectually closed. The'longitudinal edges of the tread plates are alsocent-rally provided with thecurved tongues 22 for engagement in theslots 23 provided in the outer longitudinal edge por- 'tions of theplates 14. The opposedends of construction and manner of assemblingthe'side plates 14 longitudinally of the tire are adapted to beconnected in a similar manner, one end of each of said plates beingprovided with the spaced slots 18 and a single central tongue 19 formedthereon.

The other end of the plate is rovided with a single central slot 20. anthe s aced tongues 21 whichare curved'opposite y to the single tongue19. The tongue 19 on one plate is'adapted for engagement in the centralslot 20 on the opposed end of the next adjacent plate, while the tongues21 on the latter plate engage in the slots 18 of the first named plate.These tongues are slightly bentfor insertion through the various slotsto provide a secure though flexible connection between the variouselements of the armor. y From the foregoing it is believed that the thevarious parts of my improved armor wlll be readily understoo' The deviceis comparatively simple, and

lates 14. These side as there is but little wear upon the tread portionof the axiiio'rQit-will be obvious that the same is extremely durableand will require but slight and infrequent repair. As

before stated, this repair will consist principallyin the renewal of theconnecting elements -7 by which practically all of the wear issustained. The armor may also be easily and quickly aplpliedto the tirewithout requiring any c ange'in the construction of the same. or -o f.the' wheel upon which. it is :1

applied. While I have shown described;- the preferred construction andarrangementiof the various parts, it.will be obvious that the device issusceptible of considerable inodi- Z fication without departing from theessene tial feature or sacrificing any of the .ad tages thereof.

Having thus described the invention what isclaimed is 1. Atire armorcoinprisingfiat Jrectan'gu v. I

lar tread plates having spaced slots intheir opposed ends, transverselydisposed concavoa 5; convex wear plates-. having outwardly extendinglugs formed on thelr opposite edges adjacent to each' end of the platesaidulugs being adapted for insertion through the slots in said wear.plates .andzengaging closely with the under surfaces of. said plates vand thegieriphery of the tire annularibands arrange and concavosconvexi1 plates; pivotally connected to said bands, and to the longitudinaledges ofthe tread plates upon opposite sides of the-tire,

2. A tire armor comprising fiat rectangular tread I plates'arrangedlongitudinally upon the'tire',transversely disposed concavo convexwear'platesconnectingthe opposed ends of the'tread plates. andoverlapping the end edgesthereof, said tread plates having angularlyextending tongues struckQtherefrom adjacent their longitudinal. edges toprovide slots, annular bands arranged upon opposite sides of thetire,and concavo-convex'side plates pivotallyconnected to said bands andhaving tongues formed onvone of their longitudinal edges adapted tobereceived in theslots of said tread plates and-- bent over the edges ofsaid-plates to pivotally vconnect the side plates thereto, said tonguesand the tongues of the tread plates entirely closing said slot-s, saidlatter tongues engaging closely upon the periphery of the tire.

'In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence oftWo witnesses.

ANDREW M. BRUCE. Witnesses:,

N. B, MoKEE, MILLARD THUnsToN- Copies of this patent may be ,obtainedfor five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. i

